It has been a good two consecutive years for cinematographer Enmmanuel Lubezki who has won every single major cinematography award of the motion picture industry in 2015 for the tenacious and imaginative making of the independent dark comedy Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Birdman won big this year at the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director-Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu-, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography. Prior Oscar night, Lubezki also bagged for himself, the most prestigious awards of the industry, a BAFTA, an ASC and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.

Last year, Lubezki originated the same fete, winning almost every single cinematography award and sealing the recognition deal by winning a BAFTA award, an ASC award and the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the 3D science-fiction thriller "Gravity" under the helm of his friend and long time collaborator, Alfonso Cuaron.

On Gravity, the complexity of making us believe the actors were actually into deep space was challenging at best, so director Alfonso Cuaron and cinematographer Lubezki utilized the latest on production and post-production techniques and equipment, some of it developed by themselves, to bring the award winning project to fruition. On Birdman, the challenge was of a different nature and the requirements of the script by director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu was more visceral and immediate as Emmanuel Lubezki explains at the Academy Awards backstage interview:

"You know, this was probably the hardest movie I've ever worked on. And it was really hard because exactly what you mentioned, the shots were very, very long. And we were not doing coverage so everybody had to do their best every time and not mess it up. And I think that brought an energy to the movie that otherwise the movie would not have. And I think that stress and that a need for concentration made the acting so powerful and the camera and everything in the movie. So, to my humble opinion, it's so powerful because of that. And that's something that Alejandro wanted to do since he wrote the script.

He really wanted the movie to be in one shot or appear to be in one shot, and he didn't want to do any coverage because he knew that that was a way to immerse the audience in the movie, in the story, much deeper than than any other, you know, any other way we could have shot the movie. And also it would make the actors do their best every time because they are used to. Usually, we shoot movies with coverage, and we do a wide shot, and the actors give only 70 percent. And then when they do their close‑ups, they do 100 percent, but this time, they knew the shots were going to be in the movie, so they had to go for the whole thing, but you should talk to them, you know".

Q: What was your first reaction when Alejandro showed you the script and what was the challenge you had with Birdman?

"Well, the first time he talked about the movie, he said he wanted to do a movie in one shot before I read the script. And at that moment, I truly, honestly thought I hope he doesn't offer me this movie; I'm not interested. It sounds like a nightmare. And then when he brought the script and talked about the characters and why it had to be one shot, he captivated me, and I truly wanted to do the movie. And it was really, really complex, very hard. You know, there's no book that says how do it. It was like an experiment. And I have to say that is because he's a very strong, very curious artist. We went through the process and made this movie happen."

"I mean every movie has to be told in a different way, whatever is good for the script, whatever is good for the story, whatever is good for the director. And this just happened to be what Alejandro wanted to do and the way he wanted to tell the story and the way he wanted to immerse the people into this emotional journey of Riggan Thomson and I went for it. But usually the style doesn't come from me, it comes from the script, from the directors, from the locations where you shoot, etcetera, but mostly from what the directors need to tell their story.

The cinematographer's job is really to help them translate their ideas into images, and that's what I tried to do. So I don't know, if I will ever try something like this again. It will depend on what the director wants and what the script needs".

Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC AMC took the top ASC award, Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in the Category of Theatrical Release for BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE).

Actor and recent cinematography graduate, Giovanni Ribisi presented the ASC Award for best feature to Lubezki, who also won the ASC top prize last year for GRAVITY. This marks the first time that a cinematographer has won consecutive ASC Awards in the theatrical category. Lubezki previously won in 2012 for THE TREE OF LIFE and in 2007 for CHILDREN OF MEN, and earned a nomination in 2000 for SLEEPY HOLLOW. He is also been a 4 times BAFTA Award winner for Best Cinematography and a 4 times Academy Award nominated and winning Best Cinematography for Gravity. Other nominated films lensed by Lubezki were: Little Princess, Sleepy Hollow, The New World, Children Of Men and Tree Of Life.

Emmanuel Lubezki ASC AMC flanked by Fred Goodich, ASC

and his daughter at the 29th American Society of Cinematographers

Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards.

The other nominees in the feature film category were Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC for UNBROKEN; Óscar Faura for THE IMITATION GAME; Dick Pope, BSC for MR. TURNER; and Robert D. Yeoman, ASC for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL.

Roger Deakins, ASC BSC was nominated for UNBROKEN

John Bailey, ASC received the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award. His work on ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980) and THE BIG CHILL (1983) earned critical acclaim. He has subsequently compiled more than 70 credits, including AMERICAN GIGOLO, THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE, SILVERADO, MISHIMA, THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, GROUNDHOG DAY, IN THE LINE OF FIRE, AS GOOD AS IT GETS, INCIDENT AT LOCH NESS, BIG MIRACLE, THE WAY WAY BACK, and the upcoming THE FORGER and A WALK IN THE WOODS.

The ASC International Award was presented to Phil Méheux, BSC. Méheux’s work spans four decades, with films such as THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY, THE FOURTH PROTOCOL, GOLDENEYE, THE MASK OF ZORRO, ENTRAPMENT, BICENTENNIAL MAN, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, THE LEGEND OF ZORRO, EDGE OF DARKNESS, and CASINO ROYALE.

Award-winning Barbra Streisand was recipient of the ASC Board of Governors Award from cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, ASC. She is the only artist to achieve Oscar®, Tony®, Emmy®, Grammy®, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globe®, and Peabody Awards, as well as a National Medal of Honor, France’s Légion d’honneur, the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors. The three films that Streisand has directed - YENTL, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES - earned 14 Academy Award® nominations.

Barbra Streisand with actor/husband James Brolin

Matthew F. Leonetti, ASC was recognized with the ASC Presidents Award for his impressive cinematographic contributions and dedication to the ASC. Leonetti’s credits include POLTERGEIST, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, WEIRD SCIENCE, JAGGED EDGE, STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, and RUSH HOUR 2. Forty years after his first role as director of photography on BAT PEOPLE (1974), Leonetti continues to shoot, including the recent DUMB AND DUMBER TO, whose directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly bestowed the Presidents Award at the ceremony.

Bill Roe, ASC took home the Career Achievement in Television Award, Roe has been nominated for three Emmy® Awards for his work on THE X-FILES and FAITH OF MY FATHERS. The ASC has nominated him nine times, for which he won consecutive awards for THE X-FILES (1999, 2000). Since 1997, Roe has shot nearly 200 television episodes contributing to CASTLE, BROOKLYN SOUTH, LAS VEGAS, DAY BREAK, ROBBERY HOMICIDE DIVISION, MAD MEN, and such pilots as TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, THE MENTALIST, and EASTWICK.

The ASC Bud Stone Award of Distinction was given to Otto Nemenz, founder and CEO of the rental facility Otto Nemenz Intl, and Denny Clairmont, president and co-founder of Clairmont Camera. The award is presented to an Associate ASC Member who has demonstrated extraordinary service to the society and/or has made a significant contribution to the motion picture industry.

Peter Flinckenberg, FSC was this year’s winner of the ASC Spotlight Award for CONCRETE NIGHT. The award recognizes outstanding cinematography in features and documentaries typically screened at film festivals, internationally or in limited theatrical release. Also nominated for the Spotlight Award were Darius Khondji, AFC, ASC for THE IMMIGRANT, and Daniel Landin, BSC for UNDER THE SKIN.

Film Critic and Historian, Leonard Maltin attended the

29th American Society of Cinematographers

Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Cheryl Boone Issacs, President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences

(AMPAS) attended the 29th American Society of Cinematographers

Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Jonathan Freeman, ASC took the Outstanding Achievement Award for an episode of a regular series, Freeman was recognized for his work on the “Golden Days for Boys and Girls” episode of the HBO series BOARDWALK EMPIRE. Last year Freeman took home the award for GAME OF THRONES. He previously won for BOARDWALK EMPIRE (2012, 2011), and HOMELAND SECURITY (2005). He has earned additional nominations for BOARDWALK EMPIRE (2011), TAKEN (2003), STRANGE JUSTICE (2000) and PRINCE STREET (1998).

Vilmos Zsigmond ASC, Richard Crudo ASC President, Yuri Neyman, ASC

Andy Romanoff and Steven Poster, ASC and President of ICG Local 600

accompanied by a lovely guest

Stephen Pizzello, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of American Cinematographer

Indewire and Canon have joined forces to bring a series of Cinematography related panels. Most panels and discussions are by-invitation only, the panels discussions and are held at the Canon Creative Studio (427 Main Street) from Saturday, January 24 to Monday 26.

"The Overnight’s" John Guleserian on the Cinema EOS C500
Saturday, 1/24 at 3pm

The acclaimed DP behind Sundance tour de forces "Like Crazy" and "Song One" discusses why he chose the Canon Cinema EOS C500 for his latest feature, "The Overnight." Tim Smith, Sr. Film and Television Advisor for Canon USA, will also participate.

Cut the Comedy: The Capture and Edit of Misery Loves Comedy
Sunday1/25 at 1pm

Behind the Screams: Eli Roth on the Making of "Knock Knock" with EOS-1D C
Sunday, 1/25 at 3pm

Park City At Midnight was made for horror kings like Eli Roth, whose latest spine-tingler "Knock Knock" stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas. Roth and his team, including cinematographer Antonio Quercia, discuss shooting with the Cinema EOS-1D C and why this DSLR was a dream for capturing his nightmarish script.

Get Real: Documentary Filmmaking with Cinema EOS
Monday 1/26 at 1pm

Non-fiction storytellers Crystal Moselle (Director/DP, "The Wolfpack"), Thaddeus Wadleigh (DP, "The Hunting Ground") and Bradley Stonesifer, (DP, "Call Me Lucky"), along with Canon’s Tim Smith, tell the tales of their real-life films and talk about their tech tools of choice for documentary work.

Lance Acord, ASC

Design Inspiration, Art of Film Weekend
Friday, 1/30 at 3pm.

Where
does the visual design of a film begin, and how does it contribute to
the overall art of cinematic storytelling? Through an illuminating
conversation that integrates handpicked visual and filmic references,
discover the creative processes of three talented individuals (and
frequent collaborators of Spike Jonze) known for their stunning artistic
sensibilities: cinematographer Lance Acord ("God's Pocket," "Where the
Wild Things Are," "Lost in Translation"); production designer K.K.
Barrett ("Her," "Human Nature," "Marie Antoinette," "Being John
Malkovich"); and costume designer Casey Storm ("Her," "Where the Wild
Things Are," "Adaptation").

Stephen Goldblat, ASC

The Indiewire/ Sundance events will culminate on Monday, January 26 at 3pm with a special Canon-hosted screening of "Bending the Light" a Michael Apted, directed documentary, celebrating the craft of
photography, will be followed by a Q&A between Bernstein and
featured cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt, ASC, BSC, who’ll spotlight
his creative process and the craft of cinematography, at the New Frontier Microcinema (573 Main Street).

Also, Canon will feature “How I Shot That", a series of interviews with Sundance participating cinematographers. It will run throughout the festival.

Salt Lake Tribune film critic Sean Means, Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper, Sundance Institute Executive Director Keri Putnam, and Robert Redford, founder and president of the Sundance Institute gather for the Sundance Film Festival's Day One Press Conference at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2014.

STREAMED LIVE COVERAGE FROM SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2015

Enjoy live coverage from Park City and all the inside buzz about film premieres, features and documentaries in competition, outstanding shorts, Q&As, panels and music events.

Robert Redford

SCHEDULE OF STREAMED PANELS AND EVENTS

Thursday, January 22
Day One Press Conference with Robert Redford, Keri Putnam & John Cooper

AT A GLANCE GUIDE TO UNDERSTAND THE BREAKDOWN OF FILMS, PANELS AND MUSIC BY CATEGORY AT SUNDANCE

U.S. Dramatic
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festival-goers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.

U.S. Documentaries
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.

World Dramatic
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

World Documentaries
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.

NEXT
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative approach to storytelling populate this program that will shape a "greater" next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.

Shorts
Driven by innovation and experimentation, the Shorts Programs call out filmmaking's most original voices. Presented by YouTube.New Frontier
New Frontier showcases films that expand, experiment with, and explode traditional storytelling as well as cutting-edge new media work and panel discussions.

Park City at Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.

Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

Premieres
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.

Documentary Premieres
Renowned filmmakers and films about far-reaching subjects comprise this section highlighting our ongoing commitment to documentaries. Each is a world premiere.

Sundance Kids
To reach our youngest independent film fans, we have created a new section of the Festival especially for them. Programmed in cooperation with Tumbleweeds, Utah's premiere film festival for children and youth.

New Frontier
New Frontier showcases films that expand, experiment with, and explode traditional storytelling as well as cutting-edge new media work and panel discussions.

Park City at Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.

Special Events
One-of-a-kind moments highlighting new independent works that add to the unique Festival experience.

Sundance Collection
A selection from The Sundance Collection at UCLA, a film preservation program established in 1997.

PANELS & MUSIC

Power of Story
Sundance Film Festival's "Power of Story" series looks to deepen public engagement with storytelling, explore cinema culture and celebrate artists whose work pushes the form.

Cinema Café
Cinema Café revives the culture of conversation, offering audiences the opportunity to engage with an array of filmmakers and artists in an informal dialogue over coffee and treats. #CinemaCafe Art of Film
Exploring cinema, body and soul, these events celebrate the art and craft of filmmaking and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creative, collaborative spirit of the artists who make movie magic.

At the Lodge
At the Lodge panels take up the compelling themes emerging from festival films and explore broader trends in contemporary independent film.

Film Music Events
Live performances and lively panels celebrate the art and business of film music.Music Café
Hosted Presentations
Hosted presentations bring the latest and greatest from our sponsor community to Festival goers throughout the ten days.Download your printable PDF Program GuideLive stream courtesy of Weber Shandwick, official provider of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has nominated three cinematographers for the Spotlight Award. This award is designed to recognize outstanding cinematography in features and documentaries that are typically screened at film festivals, internationally or in limited theatrical release. The winner will be announced at the 29th Annual ASC Awards on February 15, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

“These nominees have created some of the more inspiring and imaginative visuals our members have seen recently,” says ASC Awards Chairman Lowell Peterson. “We’re proud to recognize their innovative work, and we hope at the same time to raise the profile of these films, so more audiences have a chance to see their outstanding imagery.”

For the Spotlight Award, ASC members submitted entries for consideration which went before a Blue Ribbon panel that chose the nominees. All active members may vote to select the winner.

Concrete Night has been at festivals since its debut at the 2013 Toronto International Film festival. The Immigrant premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and received a limited international release. Under the Skin was unveiled at Telluride in 2013 and distributed in limited theaters worldwide.

Last year, Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski won the inaugural ASC Spotlight Award for Ida, which has earned accolades around the globe. Ida is also nominated in the Foreign Language Film category of the 87th Academy Awards®.

On January 15, 2015 at 5:30 a.m. PT, Alfonso Cuarón and J.J. Abrams will
announce the nominees in the following categories: Animated Feature
Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Film Editing,
Original Song, Production Design, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short
Film, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Visual Effects.

At 5:38
a.m. PT, Chris Pine and Cheryl Boone Isaacs will take the stage to
unveil the nominations for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting
Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Costume Design,
Directing, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original
Score, Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

Sundance Film Festival Celebrates the Art of Film with Panels with Robert Redford, George Lucas and More Discussing the Craft of Filmmaking.

Sundance Institute announced that the 2015 Sundance Film Festival will take an unprecedented look at the art and craft of filmmaking with its new 'Art of Film Weekend' series of offscreen programming. The 2015 Festival, taking place January 22 to February 1 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah, is the centerpiece public program for the Institute, which provides resources to independent artists on a year-round basis through its 24 annual residency labs and more than $2.5 million in grants. The Institute also holds public workshops through out the year that provide expert advice and critical insights into the craft and process of filmmaking.

Art of Film Weekend (January 29-31) will highlight the unique roles of writers, directors, producers, actors, cinematographers, editors, production designers, art directors, costume designers, casting directors, sound designers, composers and the countless others who bring stories to life on screen. The series will kick off with Robert Redford and George Lucas discussing their careers and creative process with Leonard Maltin and continue throughout the second half of the Festival with additional panels on topics including artistry in film music, virtual reality, visual design, editing and documentary.

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, "Exploring cinema, body and soul, Art of Film Weekend will take aspiring filmmakers and film-loving audiences behind the scenes to see the creative, collaborative spirit of artists at every stage of the independent filmmaking process that is so core to our Festival."

For dates, times, locations and ticket information for these and other panels, including the free daily Cinema Café program, visit sundance.org/festival Join the conversation on social media with#ArtFilmWeekend.

Power of Story: Visions of Independence — Kicking off Art of Film Weekend, join Robert Redford and George Lucas—two iconic filmmakers who epitomize the spirit of independence in American cinema—in conversation with critic Leonard Maltin. Distinctive as storytellers, their pioneering visions have also yielded innovative enterprises and institutions that cultivate creativity and imagination, advance technology, and push the realm of possibility. This will be live streamed on sundance.org.

Art of the Score: A Performance and Discussion with Harry Gregson-Williams — We explore the artists' approach to film music with renowned composer Harry Gregson-Williams (the Shrek series, The Chronicles of Narnia series, The Town, Man on Fire, Kingdom of Heaven, Spy Game and Blackhat), who shares his creative process from that first spark of a musical conception through the delivery of a final score. With film excerpts and a live performance, including electric violinist Hugh Marsh, we explore the indispensable role music plays in cinema.

A New Language in Filmmaking: Virtual Reality — Over a century has passed since the advent of film, allowing filmmakers to continuously hone, craft, and form the language of cinema, as well as pass those teachings on to a new crop of filmmakers. Virtual reality, on the other hand, has only recently emerged, and with it, a completely new language and approach to storytelling. Learn from the top directors working in this medium as they take you through their journey of failure and success in virtual reality storytelling. Join Chris Milk (director, An Evolution of Verse, Sound and Vision, Wilderness Downtown), Rose Troche (director, Perspective, The L Word), Saschka Unseld (director, The Blue Umbrella, story consultant to Oculus), and Glen Keane (animator, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Duet).

Design Inspiration — Where does the visual design of a film begin, and how does it contribute to the overall art of cinematic storytelling? Through an illuminating conversation that integrates handpicked visual and filmic references, discover the creative processes of three talented individuals (and frequent collaborators of Spike Jonze) known for their stunning artistic sensibilities: cinematographer Lance Acord (God's Pocket, Where the Wild Things Are, Lost in Translation); production designer K.K. Barrett (Her, Human Nature, Marie Antoinette, Being John Malkovich); and costume designer Casey Storm (Her, Where the Wild Things Are, Adaptation).

Cutting Class - An Editor's Guide to Storytelling — Spend an unforgettable afternoon with award-winning editor Sarah Flack (The Limey, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette) as she leads an in-depth session about her editing process, examining everything from the construction and evolution of scenes to the nuances of storytelling from an editor's perspective. Flack will shed light on the unique relationship between director and editor, referencing her collaborations with Sofia Coppola, Sam Mendes, and Steven Soderbergh.

The Doc Art Mix Tape — Perhaps more than any other cinema form, documentary is all too often discussed more in terms of content rather than its craft. But through its artful construction, distinctive storytelling styles, memorable characters, and groundbreaking aesthetics, non-fiction film has given us remarkable and lasting cinematic moments. Join us for a personal journey through documentary guided by Sam Green (The Weather Underground, Utopia in Four Movements) and Ross McElwee (Sherman's March, Time Indefinite, Bright Leaves), who unearth the rare and special moments that illustrate the remarkable range of the form.

To adapt a book to the screen is not an easy task, some screen writers fail miserably while others succeed garnering accolades from their peers and critics translating the written word to the captivating nuances of the cinematic language.

Moreover, to adapt a visceral descriptive erotic novel into a feature film without falling into the distastes of cheap quasi-pornographic movie making is truly not an easy task to accomplish.

Enter, THE KEY (2014) a feature film
adaptation to the screen on the erotic Japanese novel KAGI (1955) by
Junichiro Tanizaki, about a middle-aged painter (David Arquette as Jack)
who is deeply in love with his younger wife (Bai Ling as Ida) and in
spite of that love, they have grown physically and emotionally apart.

As time goes by and to cope with the inadequacies on their ailing marriage, Jack decides to keep a very
graphic and erotic journal with daily entries of all kind of sex games he demands from his
much younger wife, who complies with her husband's desires without
letting him know she is aware of his plans

In order to maintain creative integrity with Tanizaki’s narrative style of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions, writer/director Jefrey Levy developed the storyline into a juxtaposition of voiceovers and colored moving pictures vignettes, instead of a direct dialogue between characters, alternating between the entries of their private journals.

THE KEY has the flair and flavor of an experimental film by the lengthy use of cinematic techniques like extreme close ups, unusual actors blocking and camera position and lighting schemes. Notably, the post-production displays a “Sergei Eisenstein montage style” editing, recurrent piano chords musical track and many other visual effects like digital compositing, time passage compression, rotoscoping and frame tinting to represent the mood and pace of the story and in particular to this film, the emotional state of the characters.

At times, it seems as a modern version of the tinting and special effects adopted in early classic films, used to describe mood and intention of the narrative. But beyond than that, the film proves to be more experiential than experimental, immersing the audience in the voyeuristic colored world of the protagonists.

The lengthy use of captivating visual effects seems deliberate, but not in any way to showcase CGI/VXF prowess or just to be plainly gimmicky, but to evocate the poetic sensibility underlying the nature of the human condition as described in the context of the storyline. Obviously, director/writer Jefery Levy conjured this obsessive-self destructive-erotic tale adaptation (about Jack) into a moving redemptive tale of lessons learned (about Ida).

There are two other iterations of The Key produced by earlier filmmakers, namely, Odd Obsession, directed by Kon Ichikawa, a culturally repressed Japanese dramatic adaption of the erotic novel and La Chiave by Tinto Brass, released in 1983, an overly sexual adaptation of the novel in fascist Italy. Kon Ichikawa won the Jury Prize in Cannes in 1960 and La Chiave achieved domestic financial success in Italy but was considered very scandalous by audiences at large.

THE KEY is Jefery Levy cinematic tour de force, a visually stunning and immersive erotic tale with stellar performances by David Arquette and Bai Ling. The film premiered at the Real Experiment Film Festival on November 21 at the Laemmle Music Hall Theater in Beverly Hills.

For the last five years a new but very influential film festival has climbed to dominate the fashion industry scene as the leading international marketplace for fashion films.

La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival has all the attributes of a high profile film festival, not only because is the world’s largest gathering of fashion filmmakers but also because is held in the venerable San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art/La Jolla, nested in the picturesque coastal village of La Jolla and surrounded by collectible curated art, fine restaurants, designers boutiques, five stars hotels, lush foliage, balmy weather, Spanish and avant-garde architecture and of course, is uniquely framed by the magnificent visual bounty the Pacific Ocean could offer.

In a nutshell, La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival is "suburban sunny California meets cosmopolitan Paris, London and Milan in a creative rendezvous of cinematic narrative full of style and glamorous fashion".

BEST PICTURE Kiss of a Siren Victorija Pashuta & Miguel Gauthier

BEST ACTRESS The Purgatory of Monotony Somja Kinski

BEST CREATIVE CONCEPT. The Purgatory of Monotony Ace Norton

La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival empowers, support, and recognizes the individual creative professionals who make up the fashion film community worldwide. Known as the Cannes of fashion film, La Jolla IFFF was once again was the market center for distribution deals, director representation, and fashion film production houses showcase.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY The Old Road Manuel Portillo

BEST FASHION Honor Spring 2014 Giovanna Randall

LIFETIME LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Bruno Aveillan

Among the attendees supporting the filmmakers are fashion designers, fashionistas, fashion bloggers, industry executives, socialites and photographers from around the world packing the Museum of Contemporary Art/La Jolla theater of 500 seats enthralled by the top 1% of fashion films produced worldwide.

The Festival offers a varied program to all attendees and filmmakers for networking, making deals, attending seminars and panels, screening films, attending to press receptions and after parties, and to those who deserve it, to win any category of he prestigious LJIFFF awards.

BEST MUSIC Snake Vinilla Von Bismark

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Honor Spring 2014 Tim Regan and Fred Kim

BEST EDITING Today, Tonight Billy Mead

Festival Producer Fred Sweet, a veteran of the fashion industry adds “From now on the brilliant work done by makeup artists, hairstylists, art directors, editors, musicians, wardrobe stylists, writers, and others will have the opportunity to win awards. These awards are for the best in the world and cut across national boundaries and cultures. Thanks to the global reach of LJIFFF everyone is included no matter where on earth they live or work stated.”

A re-post from La Jolla Fashion Film Festival FB page: We
decided we liked this picture better than the previous one, so here it
is! From left, cinematographer George Leon, Inna Zobova, Fred Sweet, and
Bruno Aveillan. This year's LJIFFF will long be remembered for the
enchanting imagery from one of the world's top film directors - Paris
based Bruno Aveillan. Bruno and his lovely graceful wife, Russian
actress Inna Zobova were one of the highlights of our Festival. From
Bruno's film retrospective to Inna's stunning Red Carpet outfits, their
presence added a special dimension to our worldwide gathering. Thank you
Bruno and Inna!...

WELCOME TO THE VIDEOBLOG
DEDICATED TO THE CRAFT OF
CINEMATOGRAPHY & MOTION
PICTURE CAMERA OPERATION

2015 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AUDIENCE AND JURY PRIZES

2015 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AUDIENCE AND JURY PRIZES

The 21st Slamdance Film Festival tonight announced the feature and short film recipients of this year's awards in the Audience, Jury, and Sponsored Categories. The award winners were announced at the festival’s annual Awards Ceremony at the Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City, UT.

As in previous years, juries of leading industry experts and esteemed filmmakers determined the Slamdance Jury Awards for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, and Short Film categories. The Audience Awards as well as the Spirit of Slamdance, an award given by the filmmakers of Slamdance 2015 to the filmmaker who best embodies the spirit of the Festival, were also bestowed. Additional sponsored awards included the Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Grand Prize and the Kodak Director’s Prize. The feature competition films in the Documentary and Narrative Programs are limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of less than $1 million.

“Congratulations to the winners of Slamdance and indeed to all of the filmmakers this year. The 2015 festival has shown us once again that if you want to see the best of real independent film, Slamdance is the place to be,” stated Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and Co-founder.

“The Slamdance filmmakers and festival goers made the 2015 festival a resounding success,” stated Anna Germanidi, Festival Director. “Congratulations to all of our filmmakers for touching and inspiring audiences and jury members alike with their work.”AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award for Narrative Feature: ACROSS THE SEA, dir. by Nisan Dağ & Esra SaydamDamla is a Turkish immigrant estranged from her homeland; she lives in New York City with her husband, Kevin, and they’re expecting their first child. But Damla is still haunted by memories of her first love and when she returns to Turkey with Kevin she has to confront a troubling secret from her past.Audience Award for Documentary Feature:SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT, dir. by Ben PattersonMusic and politics collide when international music star Pras Michel of the Fugees returns to his homeland of Haiti, following the devastating earthquake of 2010, to mobilize a presidential campaign for Haiti’s most controversial musician: Michel Martelly aka Sweet Micky. The politically inexperienced pair set out against a corrupt government, civil unrest, and a fixed election.

JURY AWARDS - NARRATIVE

This year's Slamdance Narrative Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Richard Lorber, Todd Looby and Emilie Upczak.

Jury Award for Narrative Feature:TIRED MOONLIGHT, dir. by Britni West“A masterful fusion of cinematic vision and poetic narrative, Tired Moonlight effortlessly transports you from the prosaic surroundings of its poignant characters' lives into a realm of unexpected beauty and spiritual authenticity with an unforced craftsmanship.”The award winner was granted $3,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group.

Jury Honorable Mention for Narrative Feature: THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE, dir. by Perry Blackshear“With rare filmmaking skill, brains, precision and outstanding performances, Perry Blackshear and his cast and crew silence critics who claim very small and contained films like this can't be riveting and brilliant.

This year's Slamdance Documentary Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Paige Williams, Josh Leake and Bryan Storkel.

Jury Award for Documentary Feature:SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT, dir. by Ben Patterson“Sweet Micky For President takes the audience on an unbelievable, wild ride through difficult Haitian politics, in a story that is both entertaining and educational. The film is an enormous accomplishment for first-time director Ben Patterson and is a great example of why Slamdance exists - to celebrate new works by new directors whose films can help change our perspective on the world - one story at a time.”The award winner was granted $3,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group.

Jury Honorable Mention for Documentary Feature: 20 YEARS OF MADNESS, dir. by Jeremy Royce“Reminding us that it’s never too late to chase your dreams, 20 Years of Madness is brimming with stunning cinematography, eccentric characters and a heartfelt story about the desire to do something great while confronting the reality of failure.”

Jury Award for Documentary Short:THE SOLITUDE OF MEMORY, dir. by Juan Pablo González“Juan Pablo González paints a vivid and eloquent portrait of a devoted father and the love for his son, drawing deep emotions from the viewer through his use of gorgeous cinematography, moving music and an incredibly honest, trusting main subject.”The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.

Jury Honorable Mention for Documentary Short: DOLPHIN LOVER, dir. by Kareem Tabsch“Storytelling is an art form, and this film is a prime example of using this medium in a beautiful way to tell a seriously fucked-up, but very true and engaging story.”

JURY AWARDS - SHORT FILMS

The below Short Film Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Sarah Cornell, Rory Haines and Elle Schneider.

Jury Award for Narrative Short: STAY AWAKE, dir. by Jamie Sisley“Stay Awake exhibits a remarkable empathy for characters who find themselves trapped in an unenviable moral dilemma. The cast's stand-out performances convey a depth of emotion few short films are able to achieve.”The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.

Jury Honorable Mention for Narrative Short: 09:55 - 11:05, INGRID EKMAN, BERGSGATAN 4B, dir. by Christine Berglund & Sophie Vukovic“A complex, captivating and thoughtful slice of humanity. Delicately shot, with beautiful performances from both women, the film sears itself into your emotional core and remains there for days.”Jury Award for Animation Short: THE PRIDE OF STRATHMOOR, dir. by Einar Baldvin“The Pride of Strathmoor is akin to a short, unpleasant trip to the insane asylum. The Poe-esque rendering of madness is perfectly complemented by the inventively textured animation.”The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.

The below Short Film Jury Prizes were selected by esteemed industry members Eve Cohen and Dan Brawley.

Jury Award for Experimental Short:RED LUCK dir. by Mike Olenick“If anything represents the experimental spirit of Slamdance, it’s this tin-foiled caper – an original and striking film full of layered and unexpected images. The film manages to offer a million different narrative paths – from dark and funny to weird and sparkly. A perfect example of a singular experimental work that is easy to watch again and again.”

Jury Award for Anarchy Short:DEVIANCE, dir. by Aron Kantor“Deviance is the kind of raunchy nonsense that Slamdance embraces. A perverse pleasure diving in and out of reality that left us half-boned and just slightly numb from laughing. If anarchy at Slamdance is an anti-genre, then Deviance is the battle cry of 'fuck the system.”Jury Honorable Mention for Anarchy Short:SEA DEVIL, dir. by Dean C. Marcial“A mythological tale without true beginning or end, this cinematic anarchy short pushes the edges of traditional storytelling, weaving three stories into one, and leaves you hanging. A bold work full of questions, puzzles and refreshing choices - another blazing Borscht experiment.”SPECIAL AWARDS

Spirit of Slamdance Award:THINK INK, dir. by Wally ChungThe Spirit of Slamdance is awarded by the filmmakers of Slamdance 2015. It goes to the filmmaker who best embodies the spirit of the festival, creatively promoting their film, joyfully participating in screenings and events, and generally putting good energy into the festival.

Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Grand Prize: COMING TO, dir. by Lindsey Haun, DP Spencer Rollins, starring Jacob Demonte-Finn“A film that includes a little bit of everything in a very short time. Mystery, laughs, an impressive performance, and some mighty fine camerawork and cinematography. And like any great short film, it has you desperately wanting to know what happens next.”The award winner was granted a 512gb Digital Bolex D16 Camera.

Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention: THE CHARACTER STUDY, dir.& DP Luke Pelizzari“Creating tension in any film is hard, but to do it so effectively and gracefully with a very simple premise is truly an achievement of storytelling.”

Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention: ISOBEL, dir. by Marie Jamora, DP Jason McLagan“Perfectly capturing the theme of filmmaking on your own terms, this short highlights the magic and wonder of childhood when anything is creatively possible.”Kodak Director’s Prize: DETRITUS, dir. by T.J. MisnyGiven on behalf of Kodak to a promising new filmmaker making bold, film-worthy directorial choices. The filmmaker was awarded a $10,000 credit for Kodak film stock to be used on their next project.All Jury, Audience and Spirit of Slamdance winners were granted Final Draft 9 provided by Final Draft.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

The American Society of Cinematographers is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing the art of filmmaking. Since its charter in 1919, the ASC has been committed to educating aspiring filmmakers and others about the art and craft of cinematography; it accomplishes this by publishing the internationally renowned magazine American Cinematographer and the venerable American Cinematographer Manual, through seminars at schools and industry events, and via one-on-one mentoring. ASC members volunteer their time for such activities.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS

The principal purpose of the SOC is to recognize and nurture excellence in the field of camera operation and, secondarily, in the allied camera crafts, and to encourage development of both technology and production methods which will help our members achieve that excellence

INTERNATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHERS GUILD

The International Cinematographers Guild represents the most talented camera professionals in the world. The technicians and artisans in our union are the creators of the visual images on the big screen, the television screen and - as we move into the 21st century - our computer screen. That's why we're so excited about offering this site to our members, everyone in our industry and to people everywhere who want to know more about what we do. International Cinematographers Guild members - Directors of Photography, Camera Operators and Assistants, Computer Graphics Specialists, Visual Effects Supervisors, Still Photographers and more - are part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

THE BRITISH SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHY

The British Society of Cinematographers is an educational, social and professional organisation. Since its formation in 1949 its prime objective has been to promote and encourage the highest standards in the art and craft of cinematography. Our membership, which is by invitation only, comprises of some of the most talented Directors of Photography and Camera Operators in the United Kingdom. It also encompasses many distinguished friends and patrons from the film and television industry.

CINEMATOGRAPHY NEWS!!

ASC TECHNOLOGY COMMITEE. The commitee presents a guide to maintain your vision in a fillm/digital workflow. Click above to view the presentation. Curtis Clark, ASC. Remember to click back the top left arrow to get back to FILMCAST Live!

SUMMER CHILDREN @ SLAMDANCE 2011

Summer Children

A Special Screening At Slamdance 2011 last Monday 24.
An early work from the American New Wave movement, Summer Children is a time capsule of the culture of the ‘60s.

A view into the duality of human perception as the sunlight of day obscures the drama illuminated in the shadows of night. West (Stuart Anderson), a handsome young man born to a wealthy yet absent family, falls in love with the ethereal Diana (Valora Noland).

Their innocence was forever lost as the Summer Children became tangled in seduction, deception and betrayal resulting in tragedy.

A 1965 American New Wave Black and White film - ensemble cast/coming of age romantic drama set against backdrop of Catalina Island. Visually intoxicating, photographed in a 1960s European-style by Academy Award® winning cinematographer, Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC and fully restored from the negatives and optical tracks in 2010.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

Roger Deakins, BSC, ASC

'Gag' lights form an ever increasing part of the package which follows me from film to film. At least one new variation is added on each production and The Big Lebowski was no exception.

Imagine a scene between three characters in a large darkened room where one character sits in a wheelchair facing the only source of light--a small fire in an equally small fireplace. All the coverage of this character would include the fire.

For a sense of naturalism, I needed to hide my own lighting units within a very small space to one side or another of the real fire, depending on the camera position. I needed a physically flat light source which would also project its light into the room. Even a Tota light was too big and unwieldy.

My new gags (I made three of these) consist of six double end 2K bulbs mounted on an 8" x 14" piece of aluminum--simply blonde bulbs and holders which together with the cabling have a depth of less than 2".

The units were hidden next to the real fire, flush against the side of the chimney. Each pair of bulbs were patched through a flicker generator and dimmed down to about 50 volts to simulate the correct color of firelight.

The new gags will stay on the truck from now on--ready for the next small fireplace. But I am sure they could well be brought out to solve some other, very different, problem.

Wratten-Conversion Filters for Color Films

These filters are intended for usewhenever significant changes inthe color temperature of theillumination are required (forexample, daylight to artificial light).The filter may be positionedbetween the light source and otherelements of the system or over thecamera lens.*These values are approximate.Check critical work accurately,especially ifyou use more thanone filter.

MTI Film introduced CORTEX CarryOn, its new, portable, all-in-one, on-set dailies solution that is powerful enough to handle the most demanding production tasks and yet small enough to fit in the overhead bin of an aircraft. Compact, lightweight and rugged, CORTEX CarryOn packs more power, offers greater versatility, and features a smaller price-tag—just $35,000—than anything in its class. Capable of processing dailies at resolutions up to 4K from all of the most popular digital cinema cameras (including ARRI, Sony, Canon and RED), CORTEX CarryOn comes equipped with MTI Film’s industry-leading CORTEX Dailies Enterprise Edition software on an optimized platform. It features a liquid-cooled Intel i7 processor for ultra-quiet operation, a 12TB SSD RAID, GPU-accelerated rendering and both Thunderbolt 2 and USB3.0 technology for fast transfers.

CORTEX CarryOn is backed by MTI Film’s worldwide service and support. “We designed CORTEX CarryOn for producers and rental houses seeking a plug-and-play dailies appliance that is extremely portable, rugged enough to stand up to on-set use, and does it all with maximum efficiency and reliability,” says MTI Film Product Manager JD Vandenberghe. “Designed by users for users, CORTEX CarryOn handles dailies and media management tasks with ease and keeps pace with production demand, even when processing 4K.”

CORTEX CarryOn was shown at NAB and a beta version of the system is already in use on the set of the USA Network series Longmire. “We have previewed the system to a number of producers, cinematographers, production technicians and others, and all have responded with great enthusiasm,” observes Vandenberghe, adding, “The system can benefit any motion picture or television production seeking to streamline its workflow and improve reliability in dailies production. In particular, our new feature, called the CORTEX Manifest, can be used to send metadata files from the set to post , maintaining metadata coherence, including color decisions and media file tracking information, from camera through final delivery. For more info: http://www.mtifilm.com/

4K+ SYSTEMS-THEORY BASICS FOR MOTION PICTURE IMAGING

A must read for the serious cinematographer. pdf download.

KODAK CINEMATOGRAPHER'S FIELD GUIDE (pdf)

This pocket-sized publication provides up-to-date and easy-to- use information about all KODAK Motion Picture Camera Films and several related subjects. We designed the book to help you choose and order the right films for your needs and to help you use the films most effectively. The guide is divided into five major sections for easy reference: * Motion Picture Camera Films * Filter Information * Tips and Techniques * Formats and Packaging * Ordering Raw Stock

BLACKMAGIC FIRMWARE UPDATE

Hi George

You may already be aware, but just in case, I wanted to flag an update on firmware for Blackmagic’s cameras that was posted to our forum yesterday. Please see below. Best,

Stephanie

I know there are some concerns that we are no longer supporting the Blackmagic Cinema Camera or Pocket Cinema Camera. I just want to assure you that this is not the case.

Let me give you some background information about the development and why it is taking longer than expected.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera was our very first foray into cameras and since then, we have shipped 3 more cameras, the Pocket Cinema Camera, Production 4K and the Studio Camera.

The original 2.5K camera had fundamental architectural differences in firmware compared to the other cameras which doubled the effort when trying to do any bug fixes or add new features to the cameras. As such, we knew we had to re-architect the firmware so as to bring it up to speed with the current cameras. This is not simple and taking longer than we thought. However, we are close now, close enough that beta versions have been seeded to some users for the past few months.

We should be able to see an update, as I'd mentioned in my post, to the 2.5K camera and Pocket Cinema Camera soon with the features below:

1. New debayering for shooting directly to ProRes or DNxHD on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera EF and MFT

2. Improved MFT lens support on the Pocket Cinema Camera

3. Compressed RAW support on the Production Camera 4K4. Autofocus support for EF lenses on Blackmagic Cinema Camera EF and Production Camera 4K

What is also in this release are also certain hooks that are required for audio level metering and histogram display. It won't be visible as yet but will allow us to quickly followup with an update to add these 2 tools we know you guys are asking for.

Let me also answer some other questions I've been asked below:

• Formatting of media

Yes, we want to do this. A large part of the work has been completed so I don't believe this will be a big effort to implement. However, it is very unlikely that we will support deleting of clips directly in camera due to the risk of media fragmentation. • Time Remaining indicatorYes, this is going to happen. It's probably in the next update or an update after.

• Black Sun effect

This is a fundamental characteristic of CMOS sensors. Some sensors have additional circuitry to try and overcome this and this was available in the Pocket Cinema Camera. Unfortunately, it is not in the 2.5K sensor. Also, black sun correct circuitry is also not an on/off switch and with some sensors, it may result in other unwanted artefacts so we have to be really careful about it.

Another method of overcoming the black sun effect is via image processing after the image has been acquired and passed on from the sensor. This is basically running an algorithm to try and detect what looks like the black sun and just clipping the black areas. Again, this could result in false positives and if you have a pattern in the image that is similar to the black sun, it could mistakenly be "corrected" as well. As you can see, this is a tricky situation. We are not ignoring it, but working to see what is the best way to address this. For more info: Blackmagic Design